Sectional ladder



\ March 20,1945. A" KENNEDY v 2,372,003

SECTIONAL LADDER Filed July 21, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet .1

,m, SLMW.

March 20, 1945. R. A. KENNEDY 7 2,372,003

SEGTIbNAL LADDER Filed July 21, 1945 3 Sheets-S eet 2 avwwwfo a 1Rflffen nedy March 20, 1945.

R'. A. KENNEDY,

SECTIONAL LADDER Filed July 21, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet s W 4;" M siawggPatented Ma. 20, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,372,003 qSECTIONALLADDER Raymond A. Kennedy, Sioux City, Iowa Application July 21, 1943,Serial No. 495,637 1 Claim. (erect-51o This invention relates toladders, and more particularly to a sectional multi-use ladder.

An object of this invention is to provide a sectional ladder wherein theadjacent ends of the sections areinterlocked together so that a firmladder assembly will be provided. v

Another object of ths invention is to provide a sectional ladder whichis so constructed that the sections may be arranged in a number of ways.For instance, in one arrangement the sections may be interlocked toprovide a straight ladder. In another instance the sections may beconnected togetherin pairs and disposed in'upwardly convergent relationso a toform a high stepladder. In a further instance a low firmstepladder may b formed by using one sect'on as a base and mounting twoupwardly conver-gentsections "on the base. Additional arrangements mayalso be formed which will be readily apparent to the user.

With the foregoing objects in view, and others which may hereinaftermore fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more spec ficallydescribed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein areshown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood thatchanges, variation and modifications may be resorted to which fallwithin the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation partly broken away of a sectionalladder constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation partly in sectionshowing the connection between the adjacent sections,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2',

- Figure 4 is a detail side elevation of another arrangement of theladder sections,

Figure 5 i a fragmentary front elevation partly in section of the upperportion of the ladder section shown in Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation partly in section and showingin exploded form the manner of connecting the adjacent ladder sectionstogether,

Figure '7 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of one ofthe ladder rails,

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a number of ladder sections arranged asa stair scaffold,

Figure 9 i a front elevation of a number of ladder sections arranged asan indoor scafi'old or shelf support,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l0-| ll ofFigure 9; and Figure 11' isa fragmentary vertical section of a numberofladder sections arranged a an outdoor scaffold. y

Referring to the drawings, thenum'erals Ill and H' designate apair ofladder sections constructed according to an embodiment of thisinvention, which are interlocked together in Figure 1 to form a straightladder.

. desired may be interlocked together to form th desired length ofladder. I The ladder section III is formed of a pair of side rails l2and I 3, and a plurality of rungs Mare connected between the rails l2and 13. The rungs l4 "are'arranged so that the end rung will be spacedinwardly from the opposite ends of the section.- The side rails l2 and13 are alike in construction and may be formed out of wood or othersuitable material. The rails, at each end thereof, are formed withoutwardly opening notche I5 and i6 and where the rails are formed out ofwood they are reinforced against splitting by means of transverselyextending rivets or bolts l1 and 18, respectively. The bolts l1 and I8are disposed at a point spaced inwardly from the inner ends of thenotches l5 and I6.

The ladder section II is formed of a pair of parallel side rails l9 and20, which have secured therebetween rungs 2|. The rungs 2| areintermediate rungs and opposite end rungs 22 and 23 aresecured'transversely between the rails I9 and 20 at a point inwardlyfrom the opposite ends of the rail. The rung 22 has projecting oppositeend portions 24 which project beyond the outer sides of the rails l9 and20, and the rung 23 has projecting opposite end portions 25 whichproject beyond the opposite sides of the rails l9 and 2D. The projectingend portions 25 are adapted to seat in the notches 15 or N5 of theladder sections l0, and the rails l9 and 20 are also formed with notches26 at the opposite ends thereof whereby the rails I 9 and 20 mayinterlock with an adjacent rung Id of the ladder section ill. The twoladder sect ons 10 and H are firmly locked together against endwisemovement by means of resilient hooks 2'! which are pivotally mounted ona pivot member 28 carried by the rails I 9 and 20. There are two hooks21 at each end of the ladder section I l and the hooks are formed withreverted bills 29 to facilitate snapping of the hooks over a rung II.The ladder section II, at each end thereof, is formed with holes 30through which a bolt 3| is adapted to engage when a pair of laddersections, as for instance, a pair of sec- As many sections as may betions H, are mounted in upwardly convergent relation as shown in Figure4. At this time the two ladder sections have their lower ends mounted onthe end rungs M of the ladder section 18 which constitutes a basesection. The ladder section I!) may also be formed with holes 32 in therails l2 and 13 adjacent the ends of these rails so that bolts 3| may beextended through the holes 32 and holes 30 of a section H when anextension step ladder is formed embodying a pair of interlocked sectionsl0 and II or other desired arrangement of sections.

When the ladder sections are arranged, as shown in Figure 4, the laddersection II), which is the base section, prevents spreading of the'pairof sections l l, at the lower ends of this latter section and therebyprovides a firm foundation for the short step ladder.

In Figure 8 there is shown a further arrangement of the ladder sectionswherein a stair ladder or scaffold is provided. Two sections 10 and Hare connected together in alignment as hereinbefore described, and thena second section In is bolted as at am to the upper end of the-uppersection II. rest on an upper stair tread and this latter section is heldagainst spreading relative to the aligned sections by means of a bracinghook 33 which engages adjacent rungs of theupper sections as shown.

Referring to Figures 9-and .10, there is shown a further arrangement ofthe ladder sections wherein the sections-are arrangedto :iormga-n indoorscafiold or shelf support. A numberroi sections H! and .H are connectedtogether in alignment and jazseries oi'suchrconneotediseotions are thendisposed; in a vertical position '-.at .right angles to awall ,cr othersupport :34. 'Nailscor bolts 35 are extendcdsthroush bolt holes 3l and32 in sections 1 hand It, respectively; andengage with the wall34.:Shelf boards. maybe mounted on .the rungs of adiacentisectionsas shownin Figure 9,'and where this arrangement is de- The second section 10 isadaptedto .mounted 'on the horizontal sections llb.

signed as a shelf construction, the boards 36 may be engaged with all ofthe rungs of the ladder sections.

In Figure 11 there is disclosed an outdoor scaffold constructed from theladder sections I0 and ii. A number of ladder sections ID and H aredisposed in alignment as hereinbefore described, and one section, suchas a section H, is disposed at right angles to the connected sections,being locked at its outer end on a section 10 by means of the hooks 21.The inner end of the horizontal section which is designated III) is thenmounted on a cleat or board 31 secured to the outer side of thebuilding. A holding wire 38 is then extended through bolt holes 30 andwrapped around nails or'bolts 39 mounted in the cleat 31.

The supporting boards or platform may now be The horizontal sections Hbconstitute not only bracing members out also supporting members for theboards or platforms.

I claim:

A scafiold comprising upright ladder members formed of disconnectibleladder sections each having side rails and cross rungs, horizontalladder sections having side rails and cross rungs, the side rails of thehorizontal ladder sections having outer ends detachably engaged withcross rungs of the vertical ladder sections and their inner end portionsformed with transverse openings spaced from'their inner ends, ahorizontal support extending transversely of the horizontal laddersections and adapted to be mounted against awall with. inner ends of thehorizontal ladder sections restin upon the. horizontal support, anchorscarried .by and projecting upwardly fromrsaidisupportadjacent thehorizontal ladder sections, and strands passing through said openingsand extending towards. saidsupport and engaged. about said anchors tohold the inner ends of the'hori- ,zontal ladder sections upon said:support.

RAYMOND A. KENNEDY.

